This week on Sticky Note Conversations, host Erika Washington sits down with Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nevada, for a deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation. Athar shares his journey as the son of Pakistani immigrants growing up Muslim in Las Vegas, the loss of his father as a teenager, and how his faith and community shaped his commitment to justice work — leading him to Howard University for both undergrad and law school.

The conversation turns to Athar's work leading Nevada's largest civil rights organization, breaking down what the ACLU actually does, how it's funded, and why it takes on the government exclusively through litigation, policy advocacy, and community education.

Erika and Athar dig into some of the biggest legal battles of the year, including the Supreme Court's rulings on birthright citizenship, temporary protected status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants, and trans athletes' rights — and what these decisions mean for equal protection going forward. They also explore bigger questions: what democracy really means in America today, the generational shift happening in politics, and Athar's own vision of the American dream.

In this episode:

Athar's upbringing as a first-generation Pakistani American Muslim in Las Vegas
Choosing Howard University over Harvard and Yale
What the ACLU does and how it's funded
Major Supreme Court decisions on immigration and civil rights
The Supreme Court ruling on trans athletes and equal protection
Is America a democracy — and can it become a stronger one?
Athar's vision of the American dream

Follow Athar Haseebullah on TikTok and Instagram @AtharEsq, and learn more about the ACLU of Nevada at ACLU-NV.

Sticky Note Conversations airs Saturdays at 9:00 AM on KUNV 91.5, and is available everywhere you stream podcasts.

(00:00) - Introduction
(00:44) - Meet Athar Haseebullah
(10:15) - Growing Up in Las Vegas
(13:48) - High School and Choosing Howard
(27:02) - Law School and Staying at Howard
(31:04) - Race, Immigrants, and the Black Community
(40:45) - What is the ACLU
(49:23) - How the Supreme Court Works
(58:58) - Trans Rights Case
(01:08:14) - Is America a Democracy
(01:11:40) - The American Dream
(01:14:57) - Closing and Where to Follow